Tell me names of good Japanese restaurants in Orange County

It's my 19th birthday on March 30th and I want to eat Japanese food/sushi! Tell me all you know about any impressive, trendy, good-tasting restaurants here in Orange County. By the way, how is Ten Asian Bistro? I've been getting mixed reviews about this.

Yes, I Googled Japanese restaurants in Tustin this evening, and found it, and also found the description on your blog, elmomonster, which confirmed that I was thinking of the right place. By the way, my friend in OC thinks you have the best taste in food (from your blog). Coincidentally, the friend is the same person I went to Honda-Ya with. :)

Gen Kai in Dana Point is pretty popular. Generous portions of fish for the $. If you go on a weekend, be sure to get there early (there is always a line at the door before opening time) or expect a wait, especially for the sushi bar.

If you are looking for trendy then stick with Ten or Mosun. These have a very clubby feel. Being that you are only 19 years old you wouldn't be able to do the adjacent night clubs at these places.

For a inexpensive casual fun bar vibe with great food, I would also recommend Honda-Ya but avoid the sushi and stick with the cooked items.

If you are looking specifically for good sushi then go this Wasabi in Tustin, Sushi Shibucho in Costa Mesa. Since it is your birthday (and if someone else is paying) my all time favorite is Bluefin in Newport Coast.

I can highly NOT recommend Sushi Zen in Costa Mesa/Triangle Square Mall, 930 sushi in Newport/on PCH and Kura Sushi in Costa Mesa/ on 17th street.

Oh God. NOT Mosun. Other than a really tasty tuna tataki, their sushi is just so mediocre... and the club upstairs (to which they will "invite" you if you spend enough) is full of creepy middle-aged Laguna guys trying to hit on young women who are trashed on really iced-down drinks.

Ten's so much better. Really. It's not 100% Japanese, but it's got better parking (ever tried to park in Laguna Beach?) and I like the food.